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SHIJIAZHUANG, March 21 (Xinhua) -- The football association of north China's Hebei Province and Hebei China Fortune Football Club signed a strategic cooperation agreement here on Tuesday in a bid to foster the province's young football talents and establish a top-class youth training system in China.
The cultivation of youth talents aged between 7 and 12 will be a priority of the newly-formed strategic partnership between the provincial football association and the Chinese Super League (CSL) club as part of their forthcoming 10-year endeavor on youth training.
"The development of Hebei's football requires efforts from both local football associations and professional clubs," said Jerry Zhao Hongjing, president of Hebei China Fortune FC.
"Hebei is rich in football talents. However, the sport's sustainable development in the province can only be achieved when there is a steady supply of youth talents," said Zhao,
According to the agreement, the club will provide bountiful funds for the program while Hebei football association is responsible for mobilizing resources, such as sending top coaches in the province to the project, providing training facilities, food and accommodation.
Meanwhile, the agreement pledges those who stand out will continue to receive campus education and be trained by China Fortune's coaches as candidates for the club's youth squad.
It also promises that partnered educational institutions, from elementary schools to high schools, will keep their doors open for those who may not pursue a professional career.
The strategic project will cover 30 schools that feature football education in 11 Hebei cities, to select youth talents from the province's appropriately-aged reserve, according to the agreement.
Tian Jiangong, deputy director of Hebei Provincial Bureau of Sports, is full of hope for this project.
"With a glorious past, Hebei has a solid foundation in football while youth talents are the future of the sport in Hebei," he said.
"Now we have attached so much importance to youth training and built bridges between campus, sports schools and professional clubs. I hope this will become a big boost for its development here."
